KENT, Wash. (AP) -- A 60-year-old drag racing driver became the third person to die at an NHRA event this year when he crashed after crossing the finish line during his semifinal heat at the Northwest Nationals on Sunday.

Mark Niver of Phoenix was competing in the Top Alcohol dragster class in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing series, the top feeder circuit for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series.

The NHRA said it's investigating the accident and extended its sympathies to Niver's family. A spokesman for the association declined comment when asked for more information about what happened, saying the investigation had just started.

According to a release from the King County sheriff's office, a man driving a dragster was killed in an accident at Pacific Raceways outside Seattle. The NHRA identified Niver in its statement.

The sheriff's office was contacted by the track at about 3:40 p.m., according to its release, and the man had died by the time deputies arrived. The sheriff's office said the rest of the races were canceled and that it is investigating.

Saw the video, parachutes ripped off the car soon as he released them. Slammed into the chain link fence at the end of the strip and the dragster tacoed right at the cockpit. They were saying he did it all, machinist, mechanic driver, all of it. Fellow racers were pretty shook up over it...

some accidents you cant plan for. I have seen dragsters upside down at 300 miles an hour and the cage holds up fine then a relativly no crash happens and the chassis folds in such a way that it kills a driver. It sucks no matter how it happens. RIP

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